Law expert backs Mwenifumbo on Atupele running mate
A renowned constitutional lawyer has backed the decision by Karonga central legislator Frank Tumpale Mwenifumbo to accept the offer by United Democratic Front (UDF) torchbearer Atupele Muluzi to be his running mate.
Edge Kanyongolo, a constitutional expert at Chancellor College of the University of Malawi (Unima) in Zomba said Mwenifumbo has acted within the law by accepting the offer of running mate.
“In fact, we have precedents. The courts ruled in 1999 that there was nothing wrong for Chakufwa Chihana of Aford to be running mate to Gwanda Chakuamba who was contesting on MCP ticket,” said Kanyongolo.
Kanyongolo’s comments come after the Alliance for Democracy (Aford) executive committee agreed that Mwenifumbo should stop using party colours and party slogans, claiming he has defected to UDF.
Aford spokesperson Khumbo Mwaungulu confirmed that the national executive committee met and passed the resolution.
He said Aford is in alliance with the UTM Party of State Vice President Saulos Chilima.
But Mwenifumbo said he briefed Aford president Enock Chihana on the decision by Muluzi to pick him as running mate. . Chihana has aligned his Aford faction with Chilima while Mwenifumbo has partnered Muluzi.
“My president agreed, this is why I agreed to be the running mate,” he said.
Mwenifumbo maintained he is Aford and will remain Aford.
A political analyst from Unima, Ernest Thindwa said even though democracy provides for political freedom, to have two warring Aford leaders—Mwenifumbo and party president Enock Chihana—working with different political parties was a joke.
In his address after presenting nomination papers, Muluzi justified his working with DPP as promoting national good regardless of political, religious or tribal differences.
He said: “Working inside the incumbent government has equipped me with the capacity to observe and handle critical issues affecting us. Hence, the UDF is geared towards providing tangible and fruitful panacea to critical shortcomings.”
In the May 20 2014 Tripartite Elections, Muluzi finished fourth with 717 224 votes. Peter Mutharika, who paired with Chilima as his running mate, triumphed with 1 904 399 votes while second-placed Lazarus Chakwera of Malawi Congress Party had 1 455 880. Then incumbent president Joyce Banda of People’s Party, who had ascended to the presidency in line with constitutional order after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika in 2012, finished third with 1 056 236 votes
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Law expert? My foot!!
This is a plan by Bingu wa mng’ono and Muluzi wamng’ono to split the votes in the North where MCP and Chilima’s bus – UTM- are popular. Mwenefumbo is just a pedal yokwerera njinga.
A Malawi, open up your eyes. Atupele is still working with APM’s DPP even at this material time. Where did you see such a situation where you willfully pay your enemy? And DPP yikawina, Atupele will be rewarded and he will still be a DPP Minister because of this fallacy
Anyway koma apapa deal ndi MCP basi….tisanamizanepo apa
mmmm….anyway Muyisomva
Atupele and Mwenefumbo sold and bought themselves loads of dubious properties when Udf was in power –Lets not forget that it was Mwenefumbo who supported the idea that muluzi ayimanso ayimanso !! (Third term)
ahh moti matama onse aja amapanga mayi S.Msungama ndalama zake ndi zakuba? ife tizingothandizana nawo olemekezekawo kubonza a MG 3 4 5 awo basi.
Mwenifumbo is political prostitute No 1. He can never be elected Vice President because AA can never be elected as President. Malawians should relax.
I agree 10000000000%
Malawians should not be concerned AA can never be elected as President. AA is the son of the man who laid the foundations of the corruption and looting that we see in Malawi. Without Bakili there would be no or little corruption in the country.
Aford never stops to surprise. These are signs of luck of clear leadership, luck of direction and luck of purpose. Zero mandate, zero vision, conclusively way past it’s sell by date. This party expired way back in 2003 immediately after the results of the first multiparty elections in Malawi. From then on all these people are doing is carrying a dog to the hunt.
I have this thing with a friend of mine where we are betting on several predictions leading into the elections. My friend came up with what I thought is a money winner for me, in a joking way he was daring me to a bet that Aford will go into two separate alliances at once. We both laughed it off and I told him if that was to happen, I will give him 2 million Kwacha – i now have to find ways of excusing myself from making the payment.
One sure certain and predictable thing with Aford is that they are so unpredictable. That’s what happens when you have a party, as a matter of fact any institution that has no sense of direction.
This is really funny. These two comedians have indeed managed to sell the Aford votes twice.. let me say that again: these two clueless leaders have indeed sold Aford to two separate buyers at the same time. This how desperate the pair is on selling the party, they are both trying all they can to really squeeze out money and cash in as much as they can on the back of Aford. See, these people are not doing this for the life of the party, they are not doing this for the benefit of their votes let alone for Malawians, they are on a personal enrichment journey. They are selling the votes of Aford for the benefit of themselves and their families.
I think Aford needs to educate its leaders, just because the party is called ALLIANCE for democracy, it doesn’t mean that the party MUST always be in alliances.
Now, let’s face it – there are two more funny characters to this comedy and that’s the buyers, UTM and UDF but also, voters of Aford.
Let’s start with the 2 buyers: Hahaha.. how do you buy into a territory of confusion? How do you choose to ignore all the rumbling and internal chaos that’s been going on at Aford and go into an alliance with them? Please don’t attempt to answer that question coz we know the answer.. “Dyela”, “self serving”. In your calculations you reckon Aford is the custodian of the northern votes in Malawi, so aligning with them will increase your counts.
And now to all who will vote Aford: Your so called leaders don’t care about you. They don’t care what you think nor what you feel. They look at you as their ticket to their personal livelihood. You are a source of their individual financial plans. You are their individual benefits system. You are their cash cows. They are willing to sell your vote twice just to fulfill their personal ambitions. They will go any length to see their greedy intentions materialise. Am sorry to tell you this but honestly in May when you stand on long queues waiting to cast your vote and you give your vote to Aford, just know that you are feeding the families of these two comedians. Their actions are in plain to see and you have to understand why they behave like this. Here is a list to help you see their actions for what they really are:
1. They are greedy
2. They are both fighting for their personal opulence
3. They are so desperate to preserve comfort for their families on the back of your vote
5. They DONT give a damn about you
6. They are not leaders, they are takers
7. They are where they are today on the sweat of others
8. They have zero sense of direction
9. Their priority is to do all they can even if it means selling your vote twice, just for them to stay in power
10. They will enter alliances on the basis of which one would benefit them more individually
Cry blood Malawi..
Edge Kanyongolo needs to see the difference between late Chihana and Mwenifumbo. Chihana was the party president and had a bless from the party for party alliance with MCP. Mwenifumbo is just a member of Aford as he has acknowlegded Enock Chihana to be a party President. As an ordinary member of the party, Mwenifumbo is working against party’s stand which is to work with UTM.
In fact edge k is aging
So, Atupele are you agreeing with Chenji golo that in 2014 you were a toddler and that you did not qualify to run for presidency? Some of these comments you make sound very immature – be focused on your arguments. The problem with most of you politicians is that you forget what you say too quickly. When people allege that your father BM struck a deal with APM to give you space to experience the government system is that wrong and yet all along your claim was that you were in working relationship with DPP when actually you joined the government to gain experience. What you did is utter selfishness no wonder you were the only one from UDF in the government and your father did that purposely to avoid competition just in case some UDF supporters would prefer the other person for the party’s presidency – shrewdness.